Many products today require highly engineered components and yet, at the same time, these products are required to be limited use or disposable items. By limited use or disposable, it is meant that the product and/or component is used only a small number of times or possibly only once before being discarded. Examples of such products include, but are not limited to, personal care absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence garments, sanitary napkins, bandages, wipes, tissue-towel paper products, and the like, as well as materials used for the packaging of products. These types of products can and do utilize films. When films are used in limited use and/or disposable products, the impetus for maximizing engineered properties while reducing cost is extremely high.
Most of the materials used in current commercial multi-layer films, especially those utilized in packaging applications, are derived from non-renewable resources, such as petroleum. Typically, the components of multi-layer films are made from polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene. These polymers are derived from olefinic monomers such as ethylene and propylene which are obtained directly from petroleum via cracking and refining processes.
The price and availability of the petroleum feedstock ultimately has a significant impact on the price of multi-layer films which utilize materials derived from petroleum. As the worldwide price of petroleum escalates, so does the price of such multi-layer films.
Furthermore, many consumers display an aversion to purchasing products that are derived from petrochemicals. In some instances, consumers are hesitant to purchase products made from limited non-renewable resources such as petroleum and coal. Other consumers may have adverse perceptions about products derived from petrochemicals being “unnatural” or not environmentally friendly.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a multi-layer film which comprises at least one polymer at least partially derived from renewable resources, where the at least one polymer has specific performance characteristics making the polymer particularly useful in the multi-layer film. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a multi-layer polymeric film which comprises lower basis weight reducing the use of petroleum and lowering costs, where the multi-layer polymeric film has improved performance characteristics to satisfy product and/or packaging needs